Broken Wings
by Eternal Damnation07
Summary: “Whatever. You’re still not going!” He yelled, glaring angrily. “Your mother is dead! Why can’t you accept that!”  Chapter 2 is up. LloydxChocolat
1. Chapter 1

O.o OMG. n.n; Now that I got that off my chest, I'll start.

Anyways, I was playing Tales of Symphonia, and got to the part where we go to save Chocolat from the Palmacosta ranch…That is the Palmacosta ranch, right? And after I finished the whole game, I thought that Chocolat and Lloyd would get along nicely after she got over the whole Marble thing. And somehow, I thought of this. I kinda like the pairing. Not as much as I like ZelosxLloyd, though. x.x

Well…Uh... I don't own Tales of Symphonia.

Numbers123456789101112O.o

It had been three years since the Tree of Mana had been revived. (I think I know the Tree's name… But I won't say it here, in case no one else does. ) Three years since Sylvarant and Tethe'Alla had been reunited. Three years since Chocolate had last seen her mother.

After she had been rescued from the Iselia Ranch, Chocolat stayed in Iselia. For weeks Chocolat and many other people that escaped the ranch stayed at the school. Of course, much to the children's "dismay", school was canceled until a plan was figured out. The townspeople complained about their children missing the opportunity of education, so they started to make houses, and shared their homes until the houses were done. Later on in the year, all the houses were made for the new townspeople to live in. Those that were brave enough to face the monsters left Iselia long ago and back to their hometowns.

Since Iselia's population rose, more jobs were needed. Some people helped out at Halo, while others worked as assistants at the school. Some even opened up their own businesses, such as restaurants, pastry shops, and small clothing shops. Chocolat moved into the former mayor's home. (The Mayor disappeared after the townspeople rebelled against him. There were rumours that he was killed by a monster. It was later revealed that he committed suicide.) When she had heard that Palmacosta was almost finished being rebuilt, Chocolat immediately packed her things, and made her way to Izoold.

After she had been rescued from the ranch, Chocolat immediately wanted to go home. A girl that was around her age gently broke the news to her. Palmacosta had been destroyed, and that she should wait until the city had been rebuilt again.

'_Mom… I can't wait to see you!' _Chocolat thought. She leaned against the railing of the tiny ship, and looked out at the deep blue.

Chocolat, being the very determined young woman she was, persuaded Max to take her to Palmacosta. With the help of Lyla, of course.

"_WHAT?! You won't take me?!" _

"_The sea is still dangerous. I'm not risking my life."_

"_But I'll pay you!" _

"_Nothing doing." _

"_What's going on?"_

"_He won't take me to Palmacosta! Because he's too __chicken__!" _

"_What?! I never said that! I am NOT chicken!" _

"_Yes you are! You wouldn't even deliver my letter because 'the sea is too dangerous'! You call yourself a fisherman?" _

"_That's a different story! I-" _

"_CHICKEN!!" _

"_Argh!! Fine! Get your things! I'll take you to Palmacosta!" _

"_Y'see? That's how you handle a man. ♥" _

Chocolat giggled, glancing at Max. Despite the rough start, Chocolat and Max got along well. She thought of him as an older brother that she never had.

'_So here I am! We'll be together again, mom!'_

Over the years, Chocolat had not changed very much. Her brown hair was still tied back into a ponytail, but it now reached a little past her shoulders. She still wore a brown vest over her yellow (?) dress. The pink bandana that she wore around her neck in the past was no longer apart of her wardrobe. In place of the bandana was a silver locket.

Chocolat played with the locket, a soft smile forming on her face. Her fingers traced the designs on the locket softly, a smile still on her face. She opened the locket and a giggle escaped from her lips.

The picture inside was a little old, but she loved it nonetheless. It was taken in Palmacosta, of course. Besides herself, her family had not been outside of Palmacosta. The picture included Chocolat, Cocao, and Marble. In the background, a brand new looking Marble's Shop stood proudly.

Chocolat's mother, Cocao, had her hand on her daughter's shoulder, smiling happily. Chocolat thought her mother looked younger when she smiled. Sadly, her mother didn't smile as much after her husband died. Cocao's smile in the picture looked stifled, as if she was trying to hold back laughter.

Marble stood on the right side of Chocolat, smiling kindly. She did not wear the outfit she was forced to wear at the Iselia ranch, but she wore a light blue dress with a plain white apron over it. Marble's eyes shone with love and kindness. She always liked her grandma's eyes.

Then there was Chocolat. She looked a bit embarrassed, her cheeks flushed. Chocolat giggled, remembering that day. _She had tripped over a laundry basket, causing a few stares from passersby's and snickers from her mom and a little boy._ Despite being embarrassed, Chocolat grinned. She was leaning a bit close to the camera, since the person taking the picture was a small boy. She made a peace sign with her left hand, while her free hand was behind her back.

"Hey, girl."

A startled gasp escaped from her lips, earning a smirk from Max. She turned to look at him, glaring sheepishly.

"We're here." He said simply, stretching his arms.

"First of all, the name is Chocolat. Not 'girl'." She huffed, glaring slightly. The pout that formed on her face quickly turned into a grateful. "And thanks for the ride!"

Max smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

"Not a problem." He replied. "Not get outta here!"

Chocolat grinned, running off to find her mom.

Palmacosta looked so different from what she was used to. It wasn't as crowded as it was in the past, and some buildings were still being built. The shops, academy, church, and schools were in the same places, but they were built differently.

But she didn't care. She was back.

"Chocolat! It's you, isn't it?" A voice called out to her. The voice was so familiar she felt tears well up in her eyes. When she turned around, they fell down her happy face.

"Auntie Raymond!" Chocolat squealed happily, more tears running down her face. With that, she dropped her bags and ran into the older man's arms.

Raymond boomed with laughter, hugging and spinning the girl tightly.

"What did I tell you about calling me that?" He asked, mock seriousness in his voice. Chocolat looked up at him innocently.

Raymond was a close friend of her mother's. Chocolat had known him and his sisters since she was little. He jokingly told her to call his sisters Uncle Cynthia and Uncle Bridgette. Chocolat obediently called them that and continued to call them that after gaining a few laughs.

For revenge, Cynthia and Bridgette told young Chocolat to start calling their brother her Auntie.

"_Chocolat, sweetie… Start calling him Auntie Raymond!" Bridgette told her in a low whisper, snickering. Cynthia heard, and laughed._

"_Yes, yes… Call him Auntie Raymond!" Cynthia giggled, almost dropping her cards in the process. Cocao smiled, watching the whole scene._

_Chocolat smiled innocently, and nodded rapidly. _

"_Okay!" She said, and sat next to Bridgette. Together, they all waited for Raymond to return from the bathroom._

For years, Chocolat continued to refer to them as her Auntie and Uncles.

"To call you that as much as I want?" She asked, smiling playfully. Raymond laughed, ruffling her hair.

"Watch yourself, Girlie." The man smiled, letting go of her. "Anyways, what are you doing here?"

"What do you mean 'what are you doing here'? I'm here to see my mom!" Chocolat giggled.

Raymond's smile disappeared. He looked at the still giggling girl sullenly, swallowing hard.

"Chocolat… No one has seen your mother for years."

Chocolat stopped giggling, but a smile still remained on her face.

"What are you talking about? Stop joking around!" Chocolat said, going into a fit of giggles again.

"Chocolat… I'm being serious."

"Please stop, Raymond…"

"Chocolat." Raymond gave her a look, and Chocolat instantly stopped laughing. Whenever he gave her that look, she knew he was being serious. He always gave her that look when she was taking something too far.

Her breathing became shaky, and her legs started to weaken. Her heart stopped for a second before she could hear it pounding in her ears. She swallowed hard, blinking back tears.

Chocolat turned away from him, and towards the direction of her home.

"Chocolat!" Raymond yelled, knowing that she wouldn't listen. She was just like her father when he was alive. She was stubborn, and would not listen until her point was proven right.

"No! You're lying! I know you are!" Chocolat screamed, running as fast as she can.

She stumbled across the small bridge. No matter how much she thrashed around, the tears that gathered in her eyes did not fall.

Clumsily, Chocolat fell to the ground. She let out a pained gasp, and rolled onto her back.

"Ow… My leg." She moaned, rubbing her leg. Chocolat remained in that position for a long time, rubbing her leg until she realized where she was.

She was in front of her house.

Chocolat let out a relieved laugh, slowly walking towards the house/shop.

'_I knew it.'_ Chocolat thought, gingerly touching the wood that made the house. '_I knew he was lying. Right now he's probably coming to get me. I never knew he was such a good actor. Oh, he is going to.'_

Her smile faded, and her thoughts were interrupted.

She knew he wasn't lying now. He was not joking around. No one really did see Cocao for a long time. There was even a sign to prove it…

_Blue Bonnet's Bakery_.

She couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Chocolate let out a strangled sob, tears flowing down her face freely. Chocolat stood there for many minutes, not even noticing how cold the night air was.

She couldn't stand looking at the shop anymore. Chocolat quickly turned and collided into a strong chest.

"Oi! Watch where you're" Chocolat looked up at the person who was talking, his and her eyes widening.

"C-chocolat?" Lloyd asked softly, both worried and confused. Chocolat looking up at him, with tears running down her pretty face made him worry. But why she was crying in the first place confused him.

"Lloyd…!" Chocolat choked out quietly. More tears fell down her face, which caused her to look down in shame. Wordlessly, Lloyd wrapped his arms around her. Although Lloyd held the girl, his body was not close to hers. This problem was eliminated quickly, however.

Chocolat grabbed the fabric of his jacket, tugging him closer to her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, her sobbing never ending. Lloyd secured his arms around the slightly shorter girl.

The two remained in that position until Chocolat stopped crying completely. Lloyd managed to soothe her by calling her name, occasionally telling her "Don't cry", telling her it would be okay, making small circles on her back with his finger, and rocking back and forth with her. After she stopped crying, Lloyd sat her down on a nearby bench, and gave her a clean towel from his backpack.

Chocolat smiled gratefully, wiping her eyes with it. Lloyd nodded his head, understanding her smile and smiled back at her. Suddenly, Lloyd got up and walked off.

Chocolat blinked, feeling a little lonely after he left. She frowned slightly, holding the towel close to her chest. She sighed and looked down at her lap, missing his company.

A few minutes later, Lloyd came around the corner, holding two mugs, smiling at her.

"Here. It's hot chocolate." He said simply, handing it to her. He sat down next to her, looking at her.

"Thank you." She said hoarsely, taking the mug softly. Her throat hurt from crying, so the hot liquid felt nice.

Lloyd stared at her for awhile, before he started to drink his own hot chocolate. The two stayed quiet for awhile, until Chocolat turned to Lloyd.

"I'm sorry for clinging to you like that." Chocolate apologized, blushing sheepishly. "I even got your shirt wet…" Lloyd shook his head, and smiled softly.

"Don't worry about it." He said quietly, still smiling. "So, uh…Wanna tell me why you were crying?"

Chocolat looked at him sadly, and stared down at her drink, making Lloyd feel guilty.

'_Well… He let me cry on his shoulder, and bought me a drink…I guess I can tell him.'_

Chocolat looked up at him, staring into his eyes for a minute before she looked down again.

"I heard that Palmacosta was nearly finished being rebuilt… So I packed my things and came here…" Lloyd turned his full attention to her, sitting Indian style on the bench. "I thought I could go back to living my normal life again, and run the shop with my mom." Chocolat paused, burying her face in her hands.

"But there's no shop to run!" She said though her hands, starting to sob again. "My mom's not even here!"

Lloyd frowned, feeling a pang in his heart. He hated to see his friends sad, let alone crying.

"No one has seen her for three years… She might be dead!" Chocolat wailed, sobbing more.

"Don't say that."

Chocolat blinked, and looked up him. She blushed, finally realizing how cute Lloyd was.

He still wore the red jacket from three years ago, however this time it was cropped, and he wore a fitting black shirt under it. His suspenders were no longer apart of his outfit, but his belts still held up his black pants. His red gloves were obviously disposed of, revealing his exsphere.

His hair was still spiky, but he had some bangs that fell in front of his eyes a little. His hair also grew a little, so he had his hair tied into a low and barely noticeable ponytail.

His eyes were just plain brown, but the determination that burned inside made them enthralling. His lips looked soft and rough at the same time, and were turned into a cute frown.

"Lloyd…" Chocolat gasped softly, still staring at him.

"You don't know that your mom is dead. No one knows that, because there's no proof." He said firmly. "Are you just gonna give up? Cocao… Your mom could be out there somewhere, alive…looking for you!"

Chocolat sat up straight, turning to him completely.

"Lloyd… Even if it was easy as you make it sound, there are still monsters lurking about… I could get killed! And unlike you, I can't fight. And"

"That's what I'm saying." Lloyd replied, earning a confused look from Chocolat. "You can travel with me."

"What…?" She blinked, watching him get up and turn away from her.

"I've been on this journey for quite awhile now… And I've collected a lot of exspheres." He told her, his arms resting behind his head. "And I've got plenty of money for the both of us." Lloyd turned back to her, and grinned.

"I'll protect you no matter what- you won't have to fight!"

Chocolat blushed, looking away a bit.

"But… What about your journey?" She asked.

"I can put it aside to help look for your mom for a couple of months. Heck, I'll probably find some on the way." Lloyd replied, still grinning. "Besides, I won't mind the company."

Chocolat thought about it for a few moments. She was flattered that he would do all that for her, and she really wanted to go, so….

Chocolat got up from her seat, and returned the grin.

"Okay. I'll come." Chocolat smiled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Lloyd's grin widened.

"Great!" Lloyd exclaimed. "We'll leave tomorrow…. Okay?"

Chocolat giggled. He was as eager as a child that was waiting to open presents. She nodded, smiling at him. Lloyd smiled back at her, before he blinked.

"Are you going to sleep with me tonight?" He asked, looking at her.

"W-what?" She sputtered, looking embarrassed.

"Y'know… In the hotel? Are you going to stay?"

"Oh." Chocolat said, feeling stupid. "Ah, no. I'll stay at my auntie's tonight."

Lloyd nodded. "Cool! I can't wait to meet her." He said, grinning. Chocolat laughed, earning a confused look from her spiky haired friend.

"What's so funny?" Lloyd asked, blinking. After recovering, Chocolat smiled sweetly at him.

"Nothing. Come on, let's go. It's getting late."

"Yeah." Lloyd agreed, following the girl.

They walked across the small bridge in a calm and peaceful silence, smiling once in awhile. Once they got across, they stopped walking and turned to each other.

"I…Ray lives down there." Chocolate told him, pointing to a small house near an ally.

Lloyd nodded, looking down the ally.

"Okay. I'll come by at noon." He said.

"Okay."

"Alright… Good night." Lloyd said, smiling slightly.

"Good night." She said, smiling back.

They both turned and started to walk towards their destinations.

Chocolat stopped in her tracks, and turned to look back at him.

"Lloyd?" Chocolat called softly.

Lloyd blinked, and stopped to look at her.

"Yeah?" He asked.

Chocolat paused for a moment, before she smiled again.

"Thank you…. For everything."

Lloyd grinned happily.

"Don't mention it." He replied casually, smiling one last time before he turned a corner.

Lettersabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzo.O

Whew. x.x That probably wasn't a lot, but… It took me like three hours to type it all out because everyone kicked me off the computer all the time. XD; Anyways, I hope it wasn't too boring…Reviews would be nice. . See ya. n.n


	2. Chapter 2

O.O Wow! Cool! I got reviews!

_Sychotic__: Oh, okay. I thought so. And thank you very much. -Makes peace sign.- Oh, and nuffin much, drinking Pepsi. You? XD _

_Obsessed With Shiny Things__: Mmmhm, I thought Chocolat and Lloyd would be good together too. n.n Thank you very much! _

_Maxmagnus20019__: Oops, my bad. Xx; I didn't mean to give you the idea that this was a one shot. Sorry. X.x Anyways, I did get some inspiration (kinda.) and I am gonna finish this story. Thanks for the review! _

_High Priest of Ducky__: I think I seen a few ChocolatxLloyd stories around somewhere. Hehe, thank you for the review! _

_Fehize__: XD -Is poked and pulls a Pillsbury Doughboy.- O.o ; Hehe, thanks for the review. I'll make sure to continue. _

_The Digital Dimension__: Yay! Thank you. -Counters.- I'll keep writing if you keep reviewing. ;3_

Thank you all. And I'm sorry I took so long to update.

Oh yes…That's right. ;

I Don't Own Tales Of Symphonia.

Symbols!#$ &() :'' [? O.O

Chocolat smiled, watching Lloyd walk off. She took a deep breath, and knocked on her uncle's door. No matter how many times he nagged, growled, begged and asked her to just walk inside, she always knocked.

"_Gah! Can't ya just walk inside?! Y'know I hate answering the door!" Raymond grumbled, letting the small Chocolat inside._

"_You're just too lazy to get up." The young Chocolat said bluntly, playing with her doll. _

"_What?! Who told you to say that?! Did Bridgette tell you to say it?" _

Raymond opened the door, blinking. He looked around before he looked down and noticed Chocolat standing there.

"Chocolat!" He exclaimed, pulling the smaller girl into a hug. Chocolat smiled, hugging back tightly.

"Hi." She said quietly.

After a few seconds, Raymond let go of her, and lead her inside. "I left some food for you." He said after awhile, smiling gently. "You still like meat stew, right? I brought your things inside, by the way."

Chocolat nodded. "I love meat stew. Thanks, grandpa."

"Grandpa, Grandma, Auntie…. What's next, Sissy?" Raymond snorted, which made Chocolat laugh.

Chocolat sat at the small wooden table, while Raymond heated up the stew.

"So Chocolat…. Where have you been all this time? Your mother never told us where you disappeared to three years ago." He asked, mentally slapping himself for mentioning Cocao. To his surprise, Chocolat only smiled.

"Well, it all began when the Desians tried to execute mom…." She began.

She told her uncle about the Desians kidnapping her, but left out the part where Magnius revealed that it was Lloyd who killed her grandma. He merely nodded, listening to what she had to say. They eventually moved on to a lighter conversation. For the next two hours, they laughed, talked about the past, and many random things that they could think about.

"….and then you tripped over that dog! That was so funny!" Chocolat laughed, leaning her head against the table for support.

"Hah! Not as funny as when you tripped over a ball and slid across the room." Raymond laughed along with her, almost spilling his coffee.

Chocolat was the first to stop laughing, taking another bite of her food. Raymond recovered a minute later, smiling at her. Both remained quiet, but not for long.

"Chocolat, do you have anywhere to live?" Raymond asked, wiping an amused tear from his left eye.

Chocolat grinned, finishing her fifth bowl of meat stew. Her uncle was always proud of things she did, so she just knew that he would be happy to know that she was going to go look for her mom.

"No, but I-"

"Then you can come look for me!"

"Thanks, but-"

"And Pastor Marche was looking for you. You can work at the church of-"

"Raymond!" Upon hearing his name yelled so loudly, he said "Woah. You're pretty loud for a girl." He rubbed his ear, looking at her. Chocolat blushed, and glared at him indignantly.

"Anyways…." She started, clearing her throat. "I was trying to tell you that I'm going to go look for my mom!"

Raymond sat up straight, and looked at her with disbelief.

"….What?" He asked, frowning.

"I said I'm going on a journey to look for my mom. I'll be leaving tomorrow." Chocolat replied, putting the dishes in the sink.

"So soon…?"

"Yeah!" She chirped happily, leaning against the counter, smiling at him.

"…No. No you're not." He said firmly, not looking at her. He took a sip of his coffee, which was ignored until that very moment. Chocolat gaped at him, her legs getting a bit shaky.

"…What?!" She asked, feeling both shocked and angry.

"I said you're not going. You're staying here with me." Raymond replied, taking another drink of his coffee.

"No! No I'm not!" Chocolat yelled, slamming her fists against the table.

"Yes, you are!" Raymond yelled back, looking at up at her. "It's too dangerous out there! You could get killed!"

"No I won't! A swordsman is coming with me!" She shot back at him, seething with anger.

"A man? A MAN is coming with you?!?" Raymond said angrily. "Chocolat, you're so dense! Do you not know anything?! He only agreed to come because he wants your body! What are you going to do when he abandons you after getting up your dress?!"

"Don't talk about him like that! He's just my friend! He isn't like that! And neither am I!" Chocolat screamed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Whatever. You're still not going!" He yelled, glaring angrily. "Your mother is dead! Why can't you accept that?!"

"Because she isn't dead! I know she isn't!" She hissed. "Why?! Why can't I go?! Give me one reason why I can't go?!"

"Because you're the only family I have!"

Chocolat's anger diminished. A bit surprised, she looked into her uncle's sad yet angry blue eyes. She never noticed until now, but her uncle looked old and tired. He was still big and muscular, but his spiky hair was now grey, and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"Raymond….." She started softly, but couldn't find any words to say.

"….Your aunt Bridgette was always close to you." He said quietly. "After she heard the Desians kidnapped you, she started to get depressed. She couldn't take it anymore, so she killed herself a month later. Her husband couldn't even talk her out of it."

Chocolat covered her mouth with her hand, tears falling down her face once again.

"And Cynthia... Oh goddess, Cynthia…" Raymond's voice cracked. "Cynthia got really sick a month after Bridgette died. Once she was starting to get better… She was killed by that… Thing!" He referred to the tree, rubbing his temples. Chocolat choked back a sob, wrapping her arms around herself.

"…And just when I find out you're still alive, three years later…You're leaving again! Betting your life on an unlikely chance!" He hissed sadly, burying his face in his hands.

Chocolat inched her way over to her uncle, tears still falling down her face.

"You're the only one of my family left…I don't want to lose you, too… I don't want to lose my beloved niece!" He sobbed through his hands.

Chocolat rushed to her uncle's side, crying for the second time that night. She wiped her tears away, and hugged the man close. Raymond hugged back after awhile, getting her clothes wet in the process.

It didn't take too long for Raymond to calm down. He continued to hug his niece, his eyes drooping tiredly. Chocolat sniffed, and wiped her eyes again. She pulled away from the hug, and looked at the man seriously.

"Auntie Raymond… I'm leaving tomorrow." She said, looking him in the eye.

Raymond looked at her sadly, and then looked away, smiling a bit.

"….I know." He said after awhile.

SmileyFaceso.oO.oo.OO.OXDOo

Chocolat sat the table the next morning, waiting for Raymond to get ready. She sighed, taking a bite of her toast.

"Okay…You ready to go meet this guy?" He asked, walking in the room. He picked up her suitcases, waiting for her to answer. Chocolat nodded, getting up from her seat.

"Yeah." She replied, following him out the door.

Raymond shut the door behind her, and sighed. He started to walk quickly, but slowed down once he caught up with Chocolat.

"Chocolat… Are you sure you want to go?" He asked hesitantly, glancing at her.

"Yes." She replied, looking straight ahead. "I know my mom is out there somewhere… How can I stay in one place, knowing she's looking for me?"

Raymond sighed sadly, closing his eyes for a moment.

"….Fine. But come back alive…Okay?"

With a smile, Chocolat turned to her uncle, and pulled him into a tight hug. "…Okay! I will." She promised.

"Hey! Chocolat!"

Both Raymond and Chocolat turned to the direction the voice was coming from. Chocolat's smile widened upon seeing who it was.

"Lloyd!" She chirped happily, rushing over to greet him. Lloyd reflected her smile, waving eagerly. Chocolat practically leaped on the swordsman, giggling at something the boy had said. Raymond watched the two, not realizing he stopped walking.

He knew he was wrong about the boy. He remembered that Chocolat had mentioned him before she left on her pilgrimage. He was the one his niece had crush on.

"_Chocolat!" Raymond said, closing the door of their store quite loudly. Chocolat blinked, putting her cup down._

"_Hi Auntie Raymond!" She chirped. Raymond rolled his eyes._

"_Ha ha…" He said dryly. "Where's your mother? Is she okay? Dammit, where is she?!" Raymond spazzed for a good 2 minutes before Chocolat told him. _

"_Mom is sleeping upstairs. Yes, she's okay. Don't get your panties in a knot." She replied calmly, ignoring the glare she got. Chocolat smiled brightly, getting a slightly dreamy look in her eyes. "She was saved by the Chosen…And Lloyd." Raymond's glare disappeared as he raised an eyebrow. _

"_Eh? Who's this Lloyd fella?" He asked, honestly curious. Chocolat turned her full attention to him, still smiling. _

"_Lloyd is a swordsman. He fights with two swords! It's so cool!" She stated. "But he's so stubborn. It's kinda-What?" She blinked, seeing the smirk on her uncle's face. _

"_You like this guy, don't you?" Raymond snickered. Chocolat turned bright red, and glared at the man. _

"_N-no I don't!" She exclaimed. She crossed her arms and looked away embarrassedly. _

"_You want to huuuuuuug him. You want to kiiiiiiiss him." He sang, grinning._

"_Sh-shut up!"_

"_You want to maaaaaake out." He continued, smirking as she turned crimson._

"_N…Nuh..." She sputtered her face still crimson. _

"_You want to screeeeeeeew him."_

"_No I don't!"_

"_She's in deniaaaaaaaaal." He sputtered, laughing too hard to talk properly. _

"_SHUT UP, YOU JERK!" She yelled, leaving her uncle in the shop, still laughing. _

Chocolat turned to her uncle and smiled happily.

"Lloyd. This is my Auntie, Raymond." She said, earning a glare from the older man.

"Oh! Ah…Hello…" Lloyd looked up the man nervously. "….Sir?"

Raymond looked at the boy oddly, raising an eyebrow. "You sound a bit confused."

Chocolat laughed, nearly falling over. Both Raymond and Lloyd just stared at her.

"What is she laughing about?" Lloyd asked, blinking.

"I don't know. She's weird." Raymond replied, making Chocolat stop to glare at him.

"I am NOT weird." She huffed, and then smiled a bit. "Anyways….I'm ready to go. Are you ready, Lloyd?"

Lloyd nodded, and smiled back. "Yep! Here, give me your bags."

"Th-that's alright! I can carry them myself." She said, holding her bags away from him. Lloyd blinked, and inched closer to her.

"No, really! I can carry them. Give them here." Lloyd assured, once again reaching for the bags.

"No no. I assure you that I can do it myself!"

"No, really. I **insist** that I carry your bags!"

"No! Let go!"

"You let go!"

"No! It's my bag! YOU let go!"

Raymond sweatdropped, watching the very "mature" couple wrestle over Chocolat's bag.

"Alright that's enough!" Raymond bellowed, looking around. People were starting to stare and it was kind of uncomfortable, since you would expect that kind of behaviour from children, not from people in their 20's.

"Chocolat, just give him ONE of your bags! He's just trying to be nice." Raymond ordered, feeling very much like a parent.

Quietly, Chocolat handed a bag to Lloyd. Lloyd took the bag from her, both looking like scolded children.

"Now, you two behave on your journey." He told them, looking seriously at both of them before smiling.

"Okay!" They said in unison. Chocolat pulled her uncle into another tight hug.

"Bye, Auntie." She said, her voice a little muffled. Raymond smiled, and hugged back.

"Goodbye…" He said quietly, trying his best to keep a straight face.

Chocolat let go of her uncle, smiling tearfully. She followed Lloyd, who was already waiting for her up ahead.

"…You okay?" Lloyd asked once she caught up with him.

"Yeah." She sniffed, wiping her eyes.

"Okay…." He nodded, not knowing what else to say. They continued to walk in silence, until Lloyd looked up at her.

"I think we should start making our way to Iselia." Lloyd said as they neared the exit. Chocolat blinked, and looked up at the swordsman.

"Why there?" She asked, stopping completely to look at him. Lloyd stopped as well, smiling a bit sheepishly.

"Well, when you got taken to the Iselia ranch, we happened to be in Palmacosta at the time, so… We told your mom where you were." He replied with a grin. "She might be making her way there! Or passed through there, at least."

"Oh! I see!" Chocolat smiled. "Well, shouldn't we go by boat to there faster?"

"I went to the harbour earlier, and most of the boats were already gone. The fishermen that were still there were too scared to go too far out." He replied, rubbing the back of his head. "So… We'll have to go through Hakonesia Peak from there."

Chocolat nodded in agreement. "It will take awhile then…" She sighed, not noticing the grin on Lloyd's face.

"No… We have something faster than a boat." He said, earning a confused look from Chocolat.

"Huh?" She blinked, looking at him. His grin widened as he turned away from her.

"Hey! Noishe!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, startling the girl next to him. It didn't take too long for the doglike creature to show up.

"What…Is that thing?" She asked, after nearly getting knocked down. Noishe barked at her, scaring her a little. Lloyd looked at Noishe and smiled, petting him affectionately.

"Him? This is Noishe! He's a pr….Pro…My dog." He replied, petting Noishe one last time before looking at his partner. Lloyd smiled, packing their entire luggage onto Noishe. After he finished, he climbed onto the protozoan's back.

"C'mon! We're ready to go." Lloyd grinned.

Chocolat hesitated, backing away a bit. Lloyd blinked, before realizing that she was afraid of Noishe. "Not a dog fan, are you?" He asked casually. Chocolat looked away, blushing sheepishly.

"Hehe….Sorry." She apologized, still looking away. Lloyd smiled once more, and got off Noishe's back. He walked towards Chocolat, and gently grabbed her hand. Chocolat blinked, and looked up at the boy.

"C'mon. Let's go. I promise he won't hurt you." He promised, looking into her eyes softly. Chocolat blushed once more, and nodded her head, looking away.

"Okay. Fine." She said quietly, allowing herself to be dragged towards the 'dog'. "Up you go!" He lifted Chocolat onto Noishe's back, and got on in front of her. He glanced back at her and smiled.

"I suggest you hold on tight." Lloyd warned, turning away from her. Chocolat blinked.

"Hold on? To you? How c- Yeeek!" She shrieked, pulling herself closer to Lloyd's back. Chocolat wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, hiding her face in his jacket.

Lloyd blushed at the sudden contact, but smiled nonetheless. Shaking his head a bit, he turned to the road, and made sure Noishe took them to the right place.

It didn't take too long for Chocolat and Lloyd to reach Hakonesia Peak, however, it took awhile for them to get across since their passes had expired.

"What?! C'mon, just let us pass! It's important!" Lloyd glared angrily at the old man.

Koton turned back to look at Lloyd, and held Lloyd's glare with his own.

"Nothing doing, kid." The old man grunted. "I get people like you coming here begging to pass by for free all the time. I didn't let them pass by for free, so what makes you special? Either you pay up, or get outta here!"

"You miserable old coot!" Lloyd yelled, towering over the older man. Koton growled angrily, raising his cane.

"Why you little-!!"

Chocolat let out a wail, gaining the attention of both men. Lloyd and Koton turned to her in surprise as she wailed louder and buried her face in her hands. Hesitantly, Koton walked closer to her, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"W-what's wrong, Beautiful?" He asked, and awkwardly pulled her into a loose hug. Chocolat continued to sob, not looking up once.

"I-it's so unfair." She sniffled, wiping her eyes with a tissue the older man handed her. "First my mom goes missing for three years. Then when I get someone to take me to look for her, the boats all are gone so we had to go by foot…..And now we can't even pass!"

Chocolat wailed louder, throwing her arms around the old man.

"What did I do? Why does the world despise so much?" She wailed dramatically, still clinging to him. The old man blushed, looking away embarrassedly. His hand shuffled in his pocket, and shoved them in Chocolat's face.

Chocolate blinked, and took the items shoved in her face, her eyes still watery. Slowly, she looked at the old man curiously.

"Two passes. Take 'em and get outta here." He said gruffly, his red face still turned away.

Chocolat's face broke out in a happy smile as she hugged the man tightly. Koton squeaked embarrassedly, turning even more red.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you soooo much!" She sobbed, still clinging to him. Her tears streamed down her face, but her smile remained there.

"Okay, okay! Just get outta here!" Koton sputtered, trying his best to glare at the two. Chocolat nodded , running out after Lloyd.

Lloyd and Chocolat rushed quietly to Noishe. Glancing at Chocolat, Lloyd grinned and gave her thumbs up.

"Good job, Chocolat! He totally fell for it!" He said, lifting her up onto Noishe's back. Chocolat giggled, making room for Lloyd to climb on.

"He did, didn't he?" Chocolat giggled more as they made their way towards the guards.

Both Chocolat and Lloyd's passes expired long ago, and did not have 100.000 000 gald to renew theirs or buy new ones, so clever Lloyd came up with a plan. He knew Koton would not give anyone something for free, especially if that person was a man. But, he thought, the old man had a soft spot for girls… And Chocolat was a girl! So if he had a soft spot for girls, so surely the old man had a soft spot for damsels in…In…Girls crying.

"I never want to do that again." Chocolat huffed, folding her arms across her chest. Lloyd laughed.

"You wont have to, now that we have these." Lloyd grinned, showing the passes to the guards. Chocolat flinched, hearing a door slam. Both Lloyd and Chocolat looked behind them, only to see a very red and very angry Koton.

"Hey!! What're you doing?! You can't bring that mutt!" He screeched at them, making the guards flinch.

"Uh oh..! Noishe! Run!" Lloyd ordered. Noishe whined once more, and took swiftly. Chocolat let out a squeal of surprise, tightening her grip on the Swordsman.

"You idiots! Don't just stand there! Go after them!!" Koton screeched louder. Immediately, the guards stumbled past each other, attempting to catch them. Noishe was too fast for the guards however, so they soon had to stop to catch their breath. The angry screams from Koton got quieter as they traveled farther.

Chocolat clung to Lloyd, her eyes clenched tightly. She had gotten used to Noishe during the hour that they traveled, but the speed they were traveling… It frightened her a little. She never traveled this fast before…

Lloyd glanced at Chocolat over his shoulder, and smiled sympathetically. 'I guess it would be a little scary going this fast for the first time.' He thought, and turned back to look at the road.

"Oi! Noishe, slow down a little." Lloyd yelled over the wind. Noishe barked, and obediently slowed down. He let out a sigh of satisfaction, feeling the girl's grip loosening a little.

"You okay back there?" Lloyd asked, still looking ahead. He felt Chocolat nod her head before lifting it off his back.

"Yeah." She replied. "Thanks."

Noishe soon got tired, Chocolat was getting cold, Lloyd was hungry, they traveled all day without stopping, and it was getting dark out and the air became cool… So they decided to set camp.

Lloyd got off Noishe's back and stretched, letting out a grunt. Chocolat got off Noishe a few seconds later, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Ahh…. Much better…" Lloyd mumbled to himself, cracking his neck.

"Where are we?" Chocolat asked from behind him, unpacking her bags, placing them on the ground.

Lloyd looked around, eyeing his surroundings. Grassy…A beach….

"We must be near Izoold." He replied, helping her unpack their camping things. Chocolat nodded, quietly unpacking.

"So, what now?" She asked again, sitting down. Lloyd grunted and sat beside her, shrugging his shoulders. Both sat quietly, until Lloyd's stomach growled loudly.

"I'm guessing you're hungry." Chocolat snickered. Lloyd blushed embarrassedly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hehe…Yeah, I am." He admitted.

"I'll start dinner. What do you want?" She asked, watching him rub his chin thoughtfully.

"….Actually, I'm in the mood for meat stew." Lloyd said, drooling at the thought.

"Hey, me too." Chocolat agreed, pointing a finger at him. "Now go get some firewood."

"Geez, bossy…" He said, getting to his feet. Lloyd walked off, taking Noishe along with him.

After Chocolat finished making dinner, they ate near the fire. Lloyd explained the situation of the two worlds, going into detail about how Sylvarant and Tethe'Alla were once one, the war, how Mithos split the worlds apart.

"….And also, Colette's clumsiness helped us out many times. Yum, this is good." Lloyd finished, taking another bite. Chocolat nodded, finally finishing her 5th bowl that night.

"You eat more than I do." He commented, earning a playful slap from Chocolat.

"Shut up!" Chocolat pouted. "I was just really hungry."

"Suuuuuurrre." Lloyd snickered.

"Ha ha..." She said, rolling her eyes. "Anyways, Lloyd… How did you know I was being held at the Iselia Ranch?"

"Oh! Umm... Well, this guy we rescued from the Asgard Ranch knew you, and said you went under some kinda test there. He told us that you were being taken to Iselia."

"I see…" Chocolat nodded, bringing her knees to her chest. "But why did you bother rescuing me? Even though I practically said I hated you…"

Lloyd frowned, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, it was my fault that Marble died… I felt bad. Besides, I couldn't just leave you there because…."

"Because…?" She questioned, turning her full attention to him. Lloyd looked at her seriously, and grinned at her.

"Because you're my friend!" He said bluntly. "Even though we only knew each other for a few days, I felt close to you."

"R-really?" She asked, surprised. Lloyd nodded, his grin never leaving his face.

"Of course!" He said, giving her thumbs up.

Chocolat returned his grin, never looking away from him. After a few moments of silence, Lloyd let out a loud belch. Chocolat blinked and laughed at him, earning a blush from Lloyd.

"Shut up! It's not funny!" He shouted indignantly, blushing more.

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!" Lloyd pushed her playfully, earning a push from Chocolat.

"Yes it is!" She laughed, crawling back in order to dodge his arm.

"Shut up!" He grinned, crawling towards her. As he proceeded to push her, he somehow tripped over his leg.

"Ugh!" Lloyd grunted, hitting his head against her shoulder. Chocolat let out a startled gasp.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly, rubbing his head.

"That's okay." She laughed. He looked up at her, grinning.

"Okay th-" He then noticed the position he was in, and stopped smiling. Chocolat looked at him curiously. She then noticed that Lloyd was practically in her lap, and blushed, never taking her eyes off him.

"Uh.." Lloyd blushed as well, quickly getting off. "I gotta go to the bathroom!" He then ran off.

"I'm going to sleep!" Chocolat said hastily, getting into her sleeping bag.

Noishe whined, and followed Lloyd.

WordsDogCatFishPuppyOo

Whew. I was going to make the chapter longer, but I didn't want to make everyone wait longer... If they're still reading. But on the bright side, I've come up with a new story idea!!


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